Eccedentesiast
by WhatIsThisNormalYouSpeakOf
Summary: "WHERE IS MY CURSED BREAKFAST?" Arthur screamed. His stomach growled loudly, only helping to prove his point. Realization dawned on Merlin's face and he nodded enthusiastically. "Yes, of course, breakfast. I've just gone to get Arthur his. Would you like something as well?"


Merlin had grown very good at forcing smiles. They came quickly, almost more instinctual than his magic. Not even Arthur had realized the change, although Gaius would sometimes watch him closely as he ate breakfast in the morning.

The castle walls started to close in on Merlin as he walked to Arthur's chambers, but he was able to ignore it well enough. When the walls had first started playing this little trick on him, Merlin had been scared, practically jumping out of his skin and pressing against the stones to make sure they did not crush him. He had been relieved when he realized it wasn't real, and now that there had been time to grow used to it (almost a month now, by Merlin's calculations) it didn't bother him. It did make him a little dizzy though, and sometimes Merlin had to clutch on to a railing to make sure he did not fall like last time.

"Hello Merlin!" Gwen called out to him, but he didn't hear, just walking past looking straight ahead. She leaned to look and make sure that she had actually seen the boy, and decided that he must have just been in a rush. He was probably late bringing the prince's breakfast again.

Merlin pushed open the doors to Arthur's chambers, ignoring the heat he could feel in his face. It must have been from how quickly he had been walking.

"Look who it is." Arthur said annoyedly, still in his night clothes. "My manservant has shown his face at last. What's wrong with your face, anyway?"

"Nothing," Merlin said quickly, surprised at how out of breath he was feeling. He forced another smile onto his face.

"I think you've forgotten something." The prince stood up from his seat at the table. Merlin looked around, and after a moment's hesitation began bundling up the dirty clothes strewn about the floor.

"My breakfast, Merlin!" Arthur shouted at him. "Where is my breakfast?"

Merlin stared at him. "Your breakfast, Sire?"

"Yes." Arthur said. "Where is it?"

The manservant didn't move. "Your breakfast?"

"WHERE IS MY CURSED BREAKFAST?" he screamed. His stomach growled loudly, only helping to prove his point.

Realization dawned on Merlin's face and he nodded enthusiastically. "Yes, of course, breakfast. I've just gone to get Arthur his. Would you like something as well?"

Arthur just looked at him. "You're completely insane."

"No, no Sire. Just busy. And you know how Arthur gets when he doesn't get his breakfast."

"How does Arthur get when he doesn't get his breakfast?" the prince asked, frowning. He was growing tired of Merlin's latest joke. "I'll give you a hint. Hungry and ANGRY!"

Merlin nodded again. "Yes, indeed. So I can bring you something once Arthur's got his breakfast, but right now I really need to go."

Arthur walked over to his manservant. "Are you okay?" he asked gently, putting one hand on the boy's shoulder.

Merlin leapt away and out the door before Arthur could stop him "Merlin!" he shouted, racing after the boy. "Come back here!"

The servant raced down the halls, veering into walls and knocking unsuspecting people over. "No! No!" he screamed, just before crashing directly into Gwen. They both skidded several feet and landed entangled. Merlin jumped up and started to race away, but Gwen was too quick for him, and she grabbed him by the arm and held tight. Merlin fought, but it was mostly weak tugs, nothing too spectacular.

"Let me go!" he screamed, starting to cry as Arthur neared. "Let me go, he's insane."

Gwen shot Arthur a look of, "you are explaining this later" before gently wiping at Merlin's face and in a calming voice she said, "No, Merlin. It's okay. You're safe. Arthur's not going to hurt you. You're safe."

"He is!" Merlin cried. "Arthur's going to be so mad if I don't get him his breakfast, and he won't let me! I just want to get Arthur's breakfast, and then I'll do whatever that the man wants, but Arthur needs his breakfast. I just want to get Arthur's breakfast." he sobbed.

"Merlin, that is Arthur. And he's not angry with you." Gwen assured, straightening a piece of Merlin's hair out of his face. "That's Arthur."

"No it's not!" Merlin shouted, tugging harder. He pressed his back against the wall behind him, and Arthur and Gwen shared a look of confusion. "He's not Arthur! He's going to kill me! He's going to crush me to death! Make him stop Gwen, I don't want him to crush me to death! I just want to get Arthur his breakfast."

The boy crumpled into a pile, rocking back against the stone. Arthur approached him cautiously, but Merlin didn't seem to notice, and if he did, he didn't care. "He's burning hot." The prince said to Gwen after feeling his forehead. Heat was radiating off Merlin like an oven.

"I know." Gwen said, sounding nervous. "We need to get him to Gaius." Arthur ordered a passing servant to fetch something they could use to move Merlin, and the man returned shortly with a stretcher and a younger, stronger looking man who rolled the prince's manservant on to the cot and helped lift.

"To the physician's chambers." Arthur ordered after he realized the two men were waiting for his instructions on where to move Merlin. His manservant was still struggling, although much weaker than before, and Arthur worried that he might roll right off the stretcher while he was being moved. So the prince knelt down and removed his leather belt to fashion it into a sort of constraint to stop Merlin from hurting himself more. The boy tugged at it twice and, deciding it was too much effort, stilled. His eyes were half closed, fluttering lightly from time to time as they made their ways down the halls of Camelot and too Gaius.

"It's alright, Merlin." Arthur promised, holding onto the boy's hand, hoping the touch was comforting. "We'll fix you."

_I'll fix you, _he added silently.

**A/N: Yes, I am still updating the Day Bad Things Never Ceased. This will not in anyway slow the updates for that. Also, check out my fanfiction, the Day Bad Things Never Ceased. It stars evil!Gaius! Intrigued? Over course you are...**

**This is set in between series 2 and 3. And in case you were wondering, eccedentesiast is the term for someone who hides behind a false smile.**

**There will probably be about 3-4 chapters. Expect the next update in under a week!**

**I do love reviews! (And you do to.)**


End file.
